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St. Gervase
Died -
c. second century
Feastday - 19 June
Statue
created - c.1702-1703
The statue was commissioned in
January 1702 and delivered in July 1703.
Sculptor
- Giuseppe Raffaelli
Raffaelli reveived 80 scudi for the
work. The statue does not have stylistic comparisons with
other works by the sculptor.
Height
- 3.1 m. (10ft 4in) travertine
The saint is presented in
Roman dress, and holding the palm of martyrdom. The drapery of
the cloak, which falls in soft folds, is considered quite
successful.
St
Gervase was martyred in Milan together with his brother St
Protase (68), during the second century. They are the patron
saints of Milan.
Much of
what we know of them, relies on a dream by St Ambrose.
The Roman Martyrology 2004 entry for 19 June reads: "The
commemoration of Sts Gervase and Protase, martyrs, whose
bodies were found by St Ambrose and transferred to a newly
built basilica on this day with much solemn ceremony."
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